Russian Helicopters Gears Up for Strong Presence at MAKS

By Staff Writer | August 21, 2013

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Oboronprom subsidiary Russian Helicopters is preparing to host a number of events during the International Aviation and Space Salon (MAKS), which is starts August 27 and runs until September 1 in Zhukovsky. The manufacturer’s booth, located in the C3 pavilion, will feature a number of commercial and military helicopter variants, with any that don’t fit in the 600-square-meter (6,450-square-foot) booth spilling over to the static display.

Among the rotorcraft on display are some newer variants and prototypes that will make a first public appearance – the multirole medium Mi-171A2 (which is based on the Mi-8/17 series); the Kamov Ka-62; the Mi-38 (which will participate in a demo flight); and the Mi-26T, the world’s largest helicopter in serial production.

In addition, Russian Helicopters will showcase the Ansat and the AW139 that is built at HeliVert, a joint venture with AgustaWestland. The manufacturer will also have a mock-up of its Russian Advanced Commercial Helicopter (Rachel).

MAKS 2013 comes just after Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant produced the 750th Mi-8AMT. The helicopter will join the Russian Defense Ministry fleet.

Mi-8AMT/Mi-171.Photo courtesy of Russian Helicopters

The manufacturer is hosting the third annual International Russian Helicopters Operators Conference from Aug. 26-28. The conference, taking place at the Radisson Royal Hotel in Moscow, will feature around 200 invited operators of Russian-built aircraft from 40 nations.

All of these efforts will culminate in “Russian Helicopters Day” on August 28, with a program that highlights the importance of helicopter construction in Russia. The conglomerate, which includes Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant, Kamov Design Bureau, Bashjortostan, Kazan, Primorye, Rostov-on-Don and Ulan-Ude, points out that deliveries increased 10.7 percent in 2012 with a total of 290 helicopters, up from 262 the year before.